Each week, The Baltimore Sun will publish a Q&A with a college lacrosse player or coach. Today's guest is UMBC freshman goalie Kelsey Major. In only her fifth start, Major saved 17 shots in a 14-7 loss to No. 1 Maryland, the most saves by a Retrievers goalie in more than 10 years. The Liberty graduate has started the past five games after playing the latter minutes of two overtime losses to begin the season. In her starts, UMBC is 4-1. Major has a 7.2 goals-against average and a .488 save percentage. A psychology major, she plans to become a physical therapist.
Against Maryland, you had 17 saves, more saves than any Retrievers goalie in over 10 years. Were you nervous starting against the No. 1 team?
I was really nervous, but then as the game went on you just kind of play. You don't even realize who you're playing anymore. It's like you're playing any other team. Then you make some saves and you just get more and more confident and you just kind of realize, "I can do this." Obviously with 17 saves, I have seven people in front of me that the ball has to go through before it even gets to me. They slow the ball down. They slow their shots down. They make them take it at difficult angles. My 17 saves would have never happened if it weren't for the defense in front of me.
What was the biggest challenge in getting used to college offenses?
For me, it was a confidence thing as far as they're D-I college athletes and they're really good. They're there for a reason. Their shots are faster and more accurate than anyone I've every seen, so for me it was just trying to make sure I was confident in knowing I can make the saves against (Maryland's) Taylor Cummings or Megan Whittle and people of that caliber. It's kind of like bath by fire almost. The only way you're going to succeed and get better is seeing those shots. It's different taking shots at practice rather than shots in a game. After the first game, you've just got to go with it and get better and better as you get more used to the shots.
Your team lost the first two games in overtime and you played in both overtimes. What did you learn in those games that is helping you now?
I have high expectations for myself so especially going into the (season-opening) Temple game and going in for the (last) 10 minutes and then the overtime, you feel a lot of pressure to make that save, so when you don't, it's kind of heart wrenching. I think everyone wants to be the hero, but that's not going to happen. It's a team sport. You win as a team and you lose as a team. For me, it was a learning experience knowing you're not going to get every save or every win, but as long you go out there, put everything you have on the field and do what the coaches want you to do, all in all you'll be fine. Just to even be on the field as a freshman for my first game, that's not a chance a lot of people get and now for me to be starting, you just feel very lucky and honored to be in the position you're in.
Do you have a veteran defense or are you all learning together?
There are veterans on the team. Lexi Bristow (Broadneck) is senior captain and she's a really big part of our defense. She's on the crease a lot and when she's there, I know that person's probably not going to get a shot off. T Wallpher (Mount Hebron) is a freshman and I played with her on my Hero's team. I know how hard she works and she'll take a charge for me and for the rest of the team. I think we're learning how to play together. We've really meshed and it's only the beginning of the season, so I'm excited to see where we'll be at the end.
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